G-DAY 2 (the real one): the pleasure, the pain, the aftermath

This was truly G-DAY 2. Accept no substitutes - this was the real deal.

Just like last Friday, but with the determination of seeing Gabriel one way or another, I prepped myself this morning for the after-work visit to 30 Degrees (aka Cobalt, 2nd floor) and, if necessary, Cobalt (aka Cobalt). I knew Gabriel works on Fridays, so I needed to make this one count.

And did it ever.

Plan "A" went into operation when I entered 30 Degrees and saw the object of my affection, in bartendering mode and just waiting for me. I went into the men's room to try to put myself together, and then jumped right in.

The fun part was that he pretty much remembered me (he even guessed my name on the first try, once I reminded him it started with "R") and my "dilemma" about not having a favorite drink, etc., even that it had been 2 weeks (he thought just one, but still!) since we met.

Long story short, for the next 2 1/2 hours he was all mine. (Except for the handful of interlocutors who had the nerve to expect him to serve *them* drinks with me standing right there!)

I learned a lot about him (and he, about me). The wild thing is that he is almost exactly the person I imagined him to be. He's bright, he's "deep", he's sweet, and he is completely and utterly lovable.

And he is 24 years old.

Not what I expected, there! And I found out many other tidbits, almost all of which endeared him to me even more -- as if that was possible, but it was.

About an hour into our 2nd date, he dropped the "B" bomb.

Yep, he has a boyfriend. I should have expected as much. Well, honestly, I did expect it.

I'm still kind of wondering where he was coming from in relating to me the way he did. It could have been just uber-friendly & engaging bartenderness. About which I wouldn't complain except that if it was possible to be any closer to being in love with him (realistically, I'm not), I don't think I could have been any closer. He's really interesting, and well-spoken, and just a delight. And we really shared a lot of info about ourselves, which I did not "push" at all -- it was his questions to me that made me continue to show my (obvious!) interest in him.

The only other down side to what was perhaps an evening I'll never forget is that once I'd indicated it was about time for me to go home, he became a little distant, er, businesslike, leaving an opening for "to be continued" but what felt like only in the context of the next time I showed up at the bar. So at that point I decided not to put an offer out there to get together outside the context of the bar. (Which breaks my heart a little bit, but somehow I can't bear to just write him off. Likewise I could not bear to make that offer and be shot down, not after how much I feel we did connect on whatever level(s).)

He offered a handshake upon my departure, but I did "insist" on a goodbye hug. Unfortunately it seemed a bit "pro forma", in that I had to ask for it. Which made me think that somehow he knew why I was there tonight.

I talked to Jason after I got home and he says that I should be very happy with how things turned out, how much we talked and how much really sweet interaction we had. Above and beyond the call of duty of the bartender, definitely. (Still, I wish I could be more sure.) And Jason also thinks that I shouldn't write off the G-Man at all yet, but to cultivate this blossoming(?) friendship and be all "who knows what might happen?". The erstwhile dreamer in me says to not get my hopes up for anything; they've only been dashed in the past every time. Yet I can't help but imagine what wondrous things could be in store.

If only...